When the police entered Jacob Power’s bedroom in the sleepy English village of Hamstead Marshall in February, they found a notebook with the words “KILL LIST” scrawled on the cover. Inside, Mr. Power had written out his extensive plan to become a serial killer. Prosecutors initially had charged Mr. Power with attempted murder but decided in the end they could only pursue charges of burglary and property damage under current law. On Monday, a jury acquitted him of what ended up being the most serious charge against him: aggravated burglary, or breaking in while armed. Though he admitted to lesser crimes of burglary, property damage and cannabis possession, sentencing rules mean that he will likely face only a handful of years in prison.

Source: The Times August 20, 2025 01:23 UTC